Who Am I?

On the Camino – Sept 22

I’m Michele and I’m someone who tries to ‘walk gently through this world and know its beauty‘ (an Apache blessing that my sister gave to me because, she said, it was a good description of how I try to live my life). I come from Irish ancestry, had Scottish and German parents and a life-time’s experience of living in the wilds of Wales…until eight years ago, when I found myself feeling very at home in the Celtic province of Galicia in North-western Spain, at the end of the 500-mile walk known as ‘The Camino de Santiago’.

Although I didn’t fully realise it at the time, that end was a turning point in my life and a new beginning for me; as each ending in each of our lives always has the potential to be. And, I’ve since learned, what shapes and determines the quality and experience of our lives is whether we choose to live in the Land of Eternal Endings or to turn our gaze forward and continue to walk the Path of New Beginnings.

My path of new beginnings led me to giving up the security of a fixed base in the UK and to walking more Caminos in Spain, Nepal and Israel; in a search for a better understanding of God.

It brought me into the world of volunteering (after a lifetime of working in business) through the gift that is ‘Workaway‘ and it gave me the experience of meeting generous, courageous, knowledgeable, interesting and sometimes complex people, many of whom are actively working to turn their own dreams into reality. Ultimately, it was a search that led me, step-by-step, to the creation of this website and its virtual Casa de Paz (House of Peace).

I am a self-motivated, Spirit-inspired, sometimes self-doubting, sometimes brave adult woman. But, in the matter of learning how to live in peace with the wonderful mystery that is Life, Love and God, I am an eternally-open, constantly-learning, curious child. And this is the place where I share a little of what I’ve learned…continue to learn…and often unlearn and relearn…along the way.

So feel free to make yourself at home and to stay a while…because everyone, in search of peace, is welcome here…